The Smoke Eaters return home on Friday night for a three game homestand which includes back to back games on Friday and Saturday, starting with a visit from the Vernon Vipers.
Season series verse the Vipers
Dec. 3 Trail 3 at Vernon 5 Final
Dec. 10 Vernon at Trail 7:00 pm PST
Jan. 8 Trail at Vernon 6:00 pm PST
Jan. 19 Trail at Vernon 7:00 pm PST
Feb. 2 Vernon at Trail 7:00 pm PST
Feb. 25 Vernon at Trail 7:00 pm PST
Coming off their season best nine goal game against the Merritt Centennials the Smoke Eaters return home looking to go on another winning streak to end out the first half of the season with the Christmas break just four games away. The Smoke Eaters were dominant in the second period against the Centennials on Saturday scoring eight times as Teddy Lagerback completed his first BCHL Hat Trick in the 9-2 win. On top of scoring nine goals it was the way he Smoke Eaters scored them that stands out with 2 on the powerplay and two shorthanded. The penalty kill as a whole had a stellar weekend going 10/12 and scoring shorthanded three times in their two games. A boost like that, plus the ability to have more than 1200 fans at their homes games is sure to have an affect on the team going into two tough games. It all starts with a rematch against the Vipers, who just seven days ago beat the Smoke Eaters at Kal Tire Place 5-3 with a three goal run in the final ten minutes of the game to retake the lead. The Smoke Eaters had battled back in that game from a 2-0 deficit after the first to take a 3-2 lead on Quinn Disher’s shorthanded goal in the third. A full 60 minute effort is what Tim Fragle said was missing Friday in Vernon and will be a focal point again tonight.
Smoke Eaters leading scorers:
Michaelis (14-9-23)
Hunter (8-15-23)
Lagerback (11-8-19)
Cunningham (6-13-19)
Disher (6-13-19)
After back to back home wins for Vernon that saw them beat West Kelowna and then the Smoke Eaters, the Vipers dropped a 4-2 decision to the Cranbrook Bucks in the teams first ever meeting last Saturday. The Vipers with the addition of Talon Zakall and Luke Lavery, along with shaking off the injury bug, are hoping to turn their season around. A 6-10-3-2 start is uncharacteristic of a Vernon Vipers team but three wins in their last two games have them trending in the right direction. While if the playoffs started today they’d comfortably make the cut, the Vipers have consistently over their history been one of the top teams in the BCHL and their standard will surely be no different this season. Despite their record, and it was evident last week in Vernon, the Vipers are a team that never go away and are always in a game late regardless of the score. They’ve been to overtime six times this year with a handful more close to going the distance as well. Their not a team to be overlooked.
Vipers leading scorers:
Buss (9-11-20)
Milburn (8-7-15)
Shostak (7-7-14)
MacDonald (6-8-14)
Zakall (3-9-12)
Don’t forget to bring your gloves, socks and toques to toss on the ice when the Smoke Eaters score their first goal of the night. Puck drop is at 7pm at the Trail Memorial Centre. Get your tickets at tickets.trailsmokeeaters.com or at the box office which opens at 6pm. If you can’t make it out as always you can catch the game on BCHLTV or on Mixlr with Smoke Eater broadcaster Ben Phillips
